1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fire station alert control and more specifically to a zoned alerting system distributed throughout a fire station to alert only those personnel who are pre-selected to respond to particular types of emergencies without unnecessarily stressing unselected personnel who are not required to respond.
2. Background Art
Response time is critical to successfully fighting fires and saving lives. The First-In(copyright) Fire Station Master Control Systems(trademark) and its series of Smart Stations(trademark) remotes can shave valuable seconds off of response time in multicompany stations. Whether it is used by large metropolitan departments or small volunteer departments, First-In(copyright) integrates into the fire station at a cost that is affordable to all fire departments. An additional feature of First-In(copyright) is its ability to reduce stress levels on firefighters and paramedics. It is no secret that this industry produces an immense amount of stress and a good night of rest can be hard to find. First-In(copyright) is designed to both improve response time and reduce firefighter stress through the concept of zoning the fire station by company.
First In(copyright) and its series of Smart Station(trademark) remotes utilize specially designed lighting to define zones within a fire station. Zone illumination from the Satellights(trademark) establishes a particular light for each company housed within the station. For example the Engine Company is red, the Truck Company is blue, the Medic Company is green, the Ambulance Company is yellow, and the Battalion Chief is white. The color of the lights remains consistent throughout all remotes in the station. When First-In(copyright) is activated, the proper light color will illuminate. For example, if it is a medical emergency, all green (medic) lights in the station turn on, notifying the Medics to go. Personnel no longer need to wait for the dispatch transmission, but simply look at the remote lights and know instantly who is going to respond. This knowledge allows them to begin moving right away, resulting in improved response time.
Lack of sleep can diminish overall performance levels. Fire stations often receive calls throughout the night, awakening all personnel, even those who don""t have to respond. This constant awakening can cause significant sleep deprivation. With the First-In(copyright) Dorm Remote(trademark) module, only the personnel needed on the call are awakened. This remote module is mounted next to each bed. The occupant of that bed registers his or her company with his or her remote for that night. Thus, a Medic Call will only alert the First-In(copyright) Dorm Remote(trademark) next to the Medic beds. The remaining personnel can continue to sleep.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the alerting control system comprises a plurality of function modules called Smart Stations(trademark) remotes and distributed throughout a fire station or other emergency response location. Such modules include Dorm Remotes(trademark), Control Remotes(trademark), Satellights(trademark) and Silencers(trademark). All of these remotes are interconnected in loop cabling configurations and controlled by a master control unit (MCU) referred to as First-In(copyright) which is, in turn, connected for activation by various alternative alarm data formats.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a zoned alert system for multiple company emergency service sites such as fire stations and the like.
It is another object of the invention to provide a distributed alarm system for fire stations and other emergency service provider locations, which alarm system is designed to alert only specific personnel while permitting other personnel to sleep or otherwise remain at rest.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a fire station alarm system which employs distributed colored light alert devices and low level audio alert devices for waking only needed personnel without waking unneeded personnel.